GKN to sell London heliport

By Neil Bennett

12:00AM BST 13 Aug 2000

GKN, the engineering and aerospace group, has put Westland Heliport up for sale offering the buyer a chance to own central London's only helicopter landing site.

The group has appointed agents to sell the helipad and is thought to have attracted more than a dozen potential buyers. Bidding is said to be fierce and the heliport is expected to sell eventually for more than £10m.

Until now Westland has always held onto the helipad in Battersea to ensure easy access for its helicopters into London. But following the merger, Sir C K Chow, the chief executive, has decided it is a non-core asset.

Helicopter operators and their pilots are now extremely worried that the helipad will be acquired by a property developer who will close the facility and redevelop it with a complex of luxury flats. With a river view and easy road access, luxury homes in the area would sell for up to £1m each.

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Helicopter operators believe that if Westland heliport were to close it would lead to a significant drop in helicopter traffic throughout Britain since passengers would no longer have access to central London.

Built in 1959, Westland Heliport is heavily used by businessmen and celebrities who can afford to dodge the traffic jams around the edge of the capital. More than 300 helicopters a day often take off and land on it, although a bidder would almost certainly have to invest heavily to bring the facilities up to date.

Potential property bidders include Berkeley Homes, Britain's largest house builder which has masterminded a series of riverside developments in London. Possible bidders include the aviation services division of BBA, which has expanded rapidly in recent years.